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FY 2006 Source Reduction Assistance Grants Program

OVERVIEW

Sponsoring Agency and Office: Seven of the Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Pollution Prevention (P2) Program offices

Funding Opportunity Title: Source Reduction Assistance Grants Program

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement for Fiscal Year 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.717

OPPT Solicitation Number: EPA-OPPT-06-008

Proposal Submission Deadlines: The deadlines for proposals vary by region. Please refer to Section IV, Part H for more information.

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description. Seven of EPA's Regional Pollution Prevention (P2) Program offices anticipate having up to $163,000 available, per region, in fiscal year 2006, to fund projects supporting source reduction/pollution prevention and/or resource conservation activities through this request for proposals. For a list of projects that will be considered by each region participating in this announcement, please refer to Section I, Part E. Please Note: Three of the ten EPA Regions (Regions 1, 8 and 9) have developed grant announcements independent of this one. As such, these three regions will not award grants or cooperative agreements under this announcement. For information on the assistance agreement solicitations developed by EPA Regions 1, 8 and 9 please visit their respective web sites:
http://www.epa.gov/region1/assistance/p2/index.html,
http://www.epa.gov/region8/community_resources/grants/grants.html and
http://www.epa.gov/region09/funding/p2-sourcesup06.html.

A. Introduction. The Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) Grants Program provides grants and cooperative agreements to fund pollution prevention (source reduction and resource conservation) activities. For purposes of this grant announcement, pollution prevention means source reduction and is defined as any practice which reduces or eliminates the creation of pollutants through: increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or protection of natural resources by conservation. EPA is interested in funding projects which assist in reducing hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants entering waste streams or otherwise released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.

Pollution prevention/source reduction practices may include: equipment or technology modifications, process or procedure modifications, reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of raw materials, and improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training, or inventory control.

The term pollution prevention/source reduction, however, does not include any practice which alters the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or the volume of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant through a process or activity which itself is not integral to and necessary for the production of a product or the providing of a service.

The term “resource conservation,” for purposes of this grant notice, is defined as preventing pollution by reducing the use of toxic chemicals, and/or conserving energy, water and materials.

B. Alignment with EPA's Environmental Results Policy. In compliance with EPA policy, applicants are required to address outcome and output environmental measurements in their proposals. The term “outcome,” as defined by the Agency, refers to the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature and must be quantitative. The term “output,” as defined by the Agency, refers to an environmental activity or effort and associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative, but must be measurable during the assistance agreement funding period.

In addition to the other factors stated in Section V of this announcement, grant proposals will be evaluated based on projected project estimates and the applicant's ability to provide a clear method to track and measure their project's progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs described below (also see Section I, Part E 4 below).

Examples of outcome measures expected to be achieved under the grants awarded through this announcement include, but are not limited to:

Examples of output measures expected to be achieved under the grants awarded through this announcement include, but are not limited to:

Applicants will need to budget adequate resources to pay for measurement and reporting activities. In some cases this may require 10-20% of the proposed budget. Amounts should be discussed with the Grant Project Officer.

C. Agency Strategic Plan. Applicants must demonstrate their commitment to working towards the Strategic Goals of the Agency's Pollution Prevention Program, as stated in Objective 5.2: Improve Environmental Performance Through Pollution Prevention and Innovation in Goal 5 of the Agency's Strategic Plan and listed below.

For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm , and click on EPA's Strategic Plan 2003-2008, go to page 118.

D. Statutory Authority. SRA grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded using the following statutory authorities: Clean Air Act, Section 103(b) and (g), as amended; Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3), as amended; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, as amended; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442 (a)(1) and (c), as amended; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001(a), as amended; and Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, as amended. Please Note: Projects must consist of activities within the statutory terms of these EPA grant authorities. The statutes authorize grants for the following activities: "research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations of new or innovative techniques, surveys and studies." These activities relate generally to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. Grant proposals should emphasize this "learning" concept, as opposed to "fixing" an environmental problem via a well-established method. For example, a proposal to install a more energy efficient heating system in the applicant's facility in order to conserve energy, would not, in itself fall within research, studies, demonstrations, etc. All activities in the proposal must be eligible under one or more of the statutory authorities.

E. Region-Specific Activities for the FY 2006 SRA Grants Program. The applicant must explain how their proposal will address one or more of the region-specific activities listed below for the region they are applying to. Activities must either be research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations of new or innovative techniques, surveys and/or studies . When submitting proposals, applicants must apply to the EPA region where they plan to conduct the project. ( See Section IV, Part A). For a list of the States and/or territories represented by the participating EPA regions, please refer to Section VII. Any proposed projects to be performed in regions 1, 8 and 9 will be rejected .

Region 2

Region 3

Region 4

Region 5

Region 6

Region 7

Region 10

II. Award Information. EPA will issue SRA awards in the form of grants and cooperative agreements. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the degree of involvement by the Agency will be determined by the regional P2 program office. However, EPA will not be substantially involved in the performance of grants. EPA anticipates having up to $163,000 available, per region (for regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10), in fiscal year 2006 to fund source reduction/pollution prevention and/or resource conservation projects. EPA estimates it will receive approximately 250 grant proposals and issue approximately 40 awards. All awards will be made through a competitive process. Awards will not be issued to applicants who request more than $100,000 per year .

EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete activities, portions, or phases of the proposed project. If EPA decides to partially fund the proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and that maintains the integrity of the competition and the evaluation/selection process. Please note: In order to be considered for partial funding, proposals must have clearly delineated activities or phases with separate budget estimates for each activity/phase of the project . A ll awards will be consistent with the applicable EPA regulations and policies. EPA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and issue no awards under this announcement, or issue less awards than anticipated.

III. Eligibility Information. Assistance agreements under this program are restricted to certain applicants.

A. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are States, the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, local governments, city or township governments, independent school districts, Federally-recognized tribal governments, incorporated non-profit organizations (other than institutions of higher education), public or private institutions of higher education, and community-based grassroots organizations.

Please Note : Non-profit organizations must be able to demonstrate their non-profit status with appropriate documentation. However, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are ineligible to apply. Individuals and for-profit businesses are also ineligible to apply and will not be considered for funding.

B. Cost Sharing and Matching Requirements. EPA requires the applicant to provide a minimum 5% match, as part of the total allowable project cost. For example, the Federal government will provide 95% of the total allowable cost of the project and the recipient will provide the remaining 5%. The match may be issued in the form of cash and/or in-kind contributions, e.g., donated services, charges for real property and equipment or the value of goods and services directly benefiting the EPA funded project. Applicants who do not provide the minimum 5% match will not be considered for funding.

C. Threshold Requirements for Proposals. Proposals from eligible applicants (refer to Section III, Part A) will be required to meet the following threshold criteria in order to be evaluated for funding.

  1. Program Requirements.
    • Proposals must meet EPA's definition of pollution prevention/source reduction and resource conservation as provided in Section I, Part A and must comply with one or more of the statutory authorities identified in Section I, Part D. EPA will only fund projects involving research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrationsof new or innovative techniques, surveys and studies. These activities must relate to one or more of the applicable regional program activities listed in Section I, Part E that apply to the region in which the applicant is proposing to perform the project in. EPA will not fund projects that focus on recycling, disposal, treatment and/or energy recovery activities.
    • Eligible applicants, as identified in Section III, Part A may represent any of the ten EPA regions, but the grant project must be conducted in one or more of the following regions – 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. Applicants proposing to conduct work in regions 1, 8 and 9 will not be considered for funding.
    • Proposals must address one or more of the regional program activities listed in Section I, Part E that apply to the region in which the applicant is proposing to perform the project in.
    • Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the proposal and/or parts of the proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.
    • Proposals must be received by the appropriate regional EPA regional office or through www.grants.gov on or before the solicitation closing date (that applies to that region) as noted in Section IV of this announcement. Proposals received after the closing date will be returned to the sender without further consideration.
    • EPA will not consider proposals that request more than $100,000 per year.
    • EPA will not fund projects longer than two years.

D. Funding Restrictions. EPA assistance agreement funds may only be used for the purposes set forth in the assistance agreement and must be consistent with the designated statutory authorities of the SRA Grants program. Assistance agreement funds may not be used for matching funds for other Federal grants, lobbying, or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal government or any other government entity. All costs identified in the budget must conform to applicable Federal cost principles contained in OMB Circular A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate. EPA will subtract proposed ineligible costs from the final approved budget if a grant is awarded.

IV. Application Submission Information. Applicants are advised to carefully read through these instructions.

A. How to Send Proposals. Applicants may submit their proposal package, as described below in Section IV Part B, by hard copy, e-mail or electronically through http://www.grants.gov. Further information on the submission methods are described below. Applicants who submit proposals that merit further consideration based on the evaluation described in Section V will be asked by the applicable regional P2 program office to submit a grant application package to complete the application process. Only those applicants who are asked to complete an application will be considered for an award. Applicants using e-mail or hard copy must send their proposal package to the regional P2 program office identified in Section VII that includes the State and/or territory in which the applicant proposes to conduct its work.

B. Content of Proposals. Applicants should prepare their proposal packages as described below. Applicants submitting proposal packages by hard copy are required to submit two copies of their proposal package, preferably double-sided, to the regional P2 program office listed in Section VII. Applicants are strongly advised to submit proposal narratives which are focused, clear and concise. Regardless of mode of submission, proposal packages must contain the following elements.

  1. Required Proposal Package Materials:
     
    • Cover Page containing the title and number of this funding opportunity, in addition to, the applicant's contact information (i.e., name of applicant, name of the organization, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address and fax number).The cover page does not count toward the page limit requirement.
       
    • Letters of Support (see Section V, Part A 8).
       
    • Proposal for Federal Assistance Form (SF-424) – Please Note: This form is only required when submitting a proposal electronically through http://www.grants.gov. It is not required if you plan to submit a hard copy proposal or send it through e-mail. When filling out form SF-424 applicants are required to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number will supplement other identifiers required by statute or regulation, such as tax identification numbers. Applicants can receive a DUNS number in one day, at no cost, by calling the toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711. The website where an organization can obtain a DUNS number is: http://www.dnb.com. This takes 30 business days and there is no cost unless the organization requests expedited (1-day) processing, which requires a fee of $40.
       
    • Proposal Narrative which must contain the following information identified in Section 2 below.
       
  2. Required Content of Proposal Narrative:
     
    • Show how the proposed project addresses the threshold requirements identified in Section III, Part C.
       
    • Show how the proposed project addresses one or more of the region-specific activities, identified in Section I that apply to the region in which the applicant is proposing to conduct its project.
       
    • Describe key personnel who will work on the project(s) and their qualifications, accountability, and availability to perform the project.
       
    • Describe your organizational expertise and available resources in performing the project(s).
       
    • Include a list of all EPA and other Federal agency assistance agreements that your organization has performed within the last three years (no more than 5 projects and preferably EPA agreements), and describe how you documented or reported on whether you were making progress towards achieving the expected results under those agreements. If you were not making progress, please indicate how you adequately documented the reasons. In evaluating applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider other relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current and prior Federal agency grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). If you do not have any available information, please indicate this in the proposal narrative and you will receive a neutral score for this factor in Section V.
       
    • Briefly describe how the proposed project(s) will achieve expected environmental outcomes and outputs and how you will measure your progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs identified in Section I.
       
    • Briefly describe how the applicant will participate in the National Pollution Prevention Results System as demonstrated by the applicant's agreement to use the System's P2 common measures and to submit data to the System. Please refer to Section V, Part A6 for additional information on how to show evidence of participation.
       
    • Briefly describe, by budget category, what the requested EPA funds will be used for – e.g., travel, outreach materials, equipment, supplies, etc. and how they will be used.
       
    • Provide a timeline for the grant project(s).
       
    • Describe the project(s) milestones.
       
    • Demonstrate use of partnerships on the proposed project(s).
       
    • Describe the extent to which the applicant has successfully performed and managed federally and/or non-federally funded project of similar scope and relevance to the proposed project within the last three years (no more than 5 projects, and preferably EPA or other Federal assistance agreements), and how lessons learned from past projects will help lead to the success of the proposed project. In addition, the proposal must identify any adverse audit findings or grant enforcement actions taken by any Federal agency against the applicant during the past 5 years. In evaluating applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information supplied by the applicant in its proposal and may also consider information from other sources, including Agency files and prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant).
       
    • Discuss the applicant's history of meeting reporting requirements on prior and/or current assistance agreements performed within the last three years with Federal and/or non-Federal organizations (preferably EPA or other Federal assistance agreements) and submitting acceptable final technical reports under these agreements. In evaluating applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information supplied by the applicant in its proposal and may also consider information from other sources including Agency files and prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant).
       
    • Provide any other relevant information to the extent not otherwise identified above that addresses the ranking criteria in Section V.
       

All proposal narratives must be no more than 9 pages when printed (i.e., a page equals one side). Proposal narratives longer than 9 pages will only be reviewed up to the page limit. Applicants must use no less than 11 point font on 8.5 x 11 inch paper. The page limit applies only to the proposal narrative; the cover page - SF-424 and letters of support do not count toward the page limit requirement.

C. How to Submit a Proposal. As described below, applicants have the option of submitting their proposal package to the appropriate regional P2 program office by hard copy (using regular mail, an overnight delivery service, or courier service) or submitting it electronically.

D. How to Submit Proposals by Regular Mail, Overnight Delivery or Courier. Applicants must send proposals to the appropriate regional address listed in Section VII. EPA strongly recommends that applicants use overnight delivery service or courier service, as regular mail may be subject to unforeseeable delays.

E. How to Submit Proposals Electronically. Applicants may submit their proposal to the regional P2 program office listed in Section VII via e-mail or they may choose to submit the proposal online through http:///www.grants.gov. Proposals that are not prepared in accordance with Section IV, Part B will not be considered. Proposals must be received on or before the solicitation closing date published in Section IV of this announcement. Proposals received after the published closing date will be returned to the sender without further consideration.

1. Submitting Proposals through http://www.grants.gov. The electronic submission of your proposal package must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with http://www.grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information, go to http://www.grants.gov and click on “Get Started,” and then click on “For AORs”(Authorized Organization Representative) on the left side of the page. Note that the registration process may take a week or longer to complete. If your organization is not currently registered with http://www.grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an AOR and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible.

To begin the application process for this grant program, go to http://www.grants.gov and click on the “Apply for Grants” tab at the top of the page. Then click on “Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions” to download the PureEdge viewer and obtain the application package for the announcement ( https://apply.grants.gov/forms_apps_idx.html ). To download the PureEdge viewer click on the “PureEdge Viewer” link. Once you have downloaded the viewer, you may retrieve the application package by entering the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OPPT-06-002, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement, in the appropriate field. You may also be able to access the application package by clicking on the button “How To Apply” at the top right of the synopsis page for this announcement on http://www.grants.gov (to find the synopsis page go to http://www.grants.gov and click on the “Find Grant Opportunities” button on the top of the page and then to go EPA opportunities). Applicants should then select the package for the appropriate region by clicking on the regional competition identification number.

1a. Proposal Submission Deadline. Your organization's AOR must submit your complete proposal package as described in Section IV, Part B of the announcement electronically to EPA through http://www.grants.gov no later than the regional submission deadline provided in Section IV, Part H. Late proposals will not be considered. Please submit all proposal materials as described above.

All documents should be readable in PDF, MS Word or Word Perfect WP6/7/8 for Windows and consolidated into a single file, and prepared as described in Section IV, Part B of this announcement.

1b. Instructions for Submitting a Proposal through Grants.gov. Please submit all of the proposal materials described in Section IV, Part B of the announcement and as described below.

  1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424). Complete the form. There are no attachments. Please be sure to include organization fax number and email address in Block 5 of the Standard Form SF 424. Please note: The organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-571.
     
  2. Cover page prepared as described in Section IV, Part B of the announcement.
     
  3. Proposal Narrative prepared as described in Section IV, Part B of the announcement.
     
  4. Letters of Support prepared as described in Section V, Part A8 of the announcement.
     

To submit item “a” click on the form and then click “Open Form” below the box. The fields that must be completed will be highlighted in yellow. Optional fields and completed fields will be displayed in white. If you enter an invalid response or incomplete information in a field, you will receive an error message. When you have finished filling out each form, click “Save.” When you return to the electronic Grant Application Package page, click on the form you just completed, and then click on the box that says, “Move Form to Submission List.” This action will move the document over to the box that says, “Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission.”

For items b, c and d, you will need to attach electronic files. Prepare your cover letter and proposal narrative as described in Section IV, Part B of the announcement and save them to your computer as an MS Word, PDF or WordPerfect file; do the same for the Letters of Support.

When you are ready to attach your proposal narrative, letters of support and/or supporting documentation to the application package, click on “Project Narrative Attachment Form,” and open the form. Click “Add Mandatory Project Narrative File,” and then attach your proposal narrative (previously saved to your computer) using the browse window that appears. You may then click “View Mandatory Project Narrative File” to view it. Enter a brief descriptive title of your project in the space beside “Mandatory Project Narrative File Filename”; the filename should be no more than 40 characters long. For the cover letter and letters of support, you may click “Add Optional Project Narrative File” and proceed as before. When you have finished attaching the necessary documents, click “Close Form.” When you return to the “Grant Application Package” page, select the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” and click “Move Form to Submission List.” The form should now appear in the box that says, “Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission.” Follow the same general procedures for documents b and d, i.e., the Cover Letter and Letters of Support.

Once you have finished filling out all of the forms/attachments and they appear in one of the “Completed Documents for Submission” boxes, click the “Save” button that appears at the top of the Web page. It is suggested that you save the document a second time, using a different name, since this will make it easier to submit an amended package later if necessary. Please use the following format when saving your file: “Applicant Name – FY 06 – Assoc Prog Supp – 1 st Submission” or “Applicant Name – FY 06 Assoc Prog Supp – Back-up Submission.” If it becomes necessary to submit an amended package at a later date, then the name of the 2 nd submission should be changed to “Applicant Name – FY 06 Assoc Prog Supp – 2 nd Submission.”

Once your application package has been completed and saved, send it to your AOR for submission to U.S. EPA through Grants.gov. Please advise your AOR to close all other software programs before attempting to submit the application package through Grants.gov.

In the “Application Filing Name” box, your AOR should enter your organization's name (abbreviate where possible), the fiscal year (e.g., FY 06), and the grant category (e.g., Assoc Prog Supp). The filing name should not exceed 40 characters. From the “Grant Application Package” page, your AOR may submit the application package by clicking the “Submit” button that appears at the top of the page. The AOR will then be asked to verify the agency and funding opportunity number for which the application package is being submitted. If problems are encountered during the submission process, the AOR should reboot his/her computer before trying to submit the application package again. [It may be necessary to turn off the computer (not just restart it) before attempting to submit the package again.] If the AOR continues to experience submission problems, he/she may contact Grants.gov for assistance by phone at 1-800-518-4726 or email at support@grants.gov or contact the appropriate regional contact listed in Section VII.

Proposal packages submitted through http://www.grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from support@grant.gov) within 30 days of the proposal deadline, please contact the regional contact listed in Section VII. Failure to do so may result in your proposal package not being reviewed.

F. Before Writing the Proposal. Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to contact their regional P2Rx center (there are eight centers in total) to ascertain the type of P2 work that has already been accomplished within their field of interest. For more information on the eight P2Rx centers, please visit http://www.p2rx.org.

G. Submission Dates. For hard copy and electronic submissions applicants must submit their proposals to the appropriate regional P2 program office listed in Section VII or through grants.gov by the submission date specified below for that region. Proposals received through any submission method after the submission date will not be evaluated or considered for an award. EPA anticipates that funding decisions will be made 120-days after the announcement post date.

Region 1 - the region is not participating in this assistance agreement announcement; proposals will not be accepted.

Region 2 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.
Please note: The region strongly encourages applicants who submit hard-copy proposals to simultaneously send the region an electronic copy of their proposal to the e-mail address provided in Section VII.

Region 3 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.

Region 4 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.

Region 5 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.
Please note : The region strongly encourages applicants who submit hard-copy proposals to simultaneously send the region an electronic copy of their proposal to the e-mail address provided in Section VII.

Region 6 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.

Region 7 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.

Region 8 - the region is not participating in this assistance agreement announcement; proposals will not be accepted.

Region 9 - the region is not participating in this assistance agreement announcement; proposals will not be accepted.

Region 10 - Proposals are due by June 19, 2006.

H. Other Submission Requirements.

  1. Intergovernmental Review. Applicants must comply with the Intergovernmental Review Process and/or the consultation provisions of Section 204, of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act, if applicable, which are contained in 40 CFR Part 29. All State applicants should consult with their EPA Regional office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires when applying for assistance; if the State has selected the program for review. If you do not know who your Single Point of Contact is, please call the EPA Headquarters Grant Policy Information and Training Branch at (202) 564-5325 or refer to the State Single Point of Contact web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. Federally-recognized tribal governments are not required to comply with this procedure.
     
  2. Confidential Business Information. In accordance with 40 CFR 2.203, applicants may claim all or a portion of their proposal as confidential business information. EPA will evaluate confidentiality claims in accordance with 40 CFR Part 2. Applicants must clearly mark proposals or portions of the proposal they claim as confidential. If no claim of confidentiality is made, EPA is not required to make the inquiry to the applicant otherwise required by 40 CFR 2.204(c)(2) prior to disclosure.
     
  3. Federal Requirements. An applicant whose application is selected for Federal funding must complete applicable forms prior to award (see 40 CFR 30.12 and 31.10). In addition, successful applicants will be required to certify that they have not been debarred or suspended from participation in Federal assistance awards in accordance with 40 CFR Part 32.
     

V. Application Review Information.

A. Evaluation Criteria. Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the evaluation criteria listed below.

  1. Project Management. The extent to which the applicant clearly identifies key personnel who will work on the project and the applicant demonstrates their qualifications, accountability, and availability to perform the project. (10 points)

  2. Organizational Experience and Resources. The extent to which the applicant describes in their proposal how they will ensure timely and successful completion of the objectives of the project(s) and demonstrates that they have the resources to perform the project. (10 points)

  3. Past Performance. The extent to which the applicant has successfully performed and managed Federally and/or non-Federally funded projects of similar scope and relevance to the proposed project within the last three years (no more than 5 projects, preferably referencing EPA or other assistance agreements), and how lessons learned from past projects will help lead to the success of the proposed project. In evaluating applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information supplied by the applicant in its proposal and may also consider information from other sources including Agency files and prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). (10 points)

    Please Note : If the applicant does not have past performance history, the applicant will receive a neutral score of (5 points) for this evaluation factor.

  4. Applicant Reporting History. The extent to which the proposal narrative describes the applicant's history of meeting reporting requirements on prior or current assistance agreements performed within the last three years with Federal and/or non-Federal organizations (preferably EPA or other Federal assistance agreements)and submitting acceptable final technical reports under these agreements. In evaluating applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information supplied by the applicant in its proposal and may also consider information from other sources including Agency files and prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). (5 points)

    Please Note : If the applicant cannot provide performance reporting history, the applicant will receive a neutral score of (2.5 points) for this evaluation factor.

  5. Project Strategy. (a) The extent to which the proposal narrative includes a well-conceived strategy addressing one or more of the regionally-specific activities provided in Section I, Part E that apply to the region in which the applicant is proposing to perform the project and submitting its proposal to; (b) the extent to which the proposal narrative sets forth a reasonable schedule for the execution of the tasks associated with the project(s); and (c) the extent to which the proposal narrative relates to the goals and objectives provided in EPA's Strategic Plan, under Goal 5, Objective 5.2: Improve Environmental Performance Through Pollution Prevention and Innovation (see http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/plan/2003sp.pdf p.118). (30 points - ; 10 points for each subfactor)

  6. Environmental Measurement. (a) The extent to which the proposal narrative addresses how the expected environmental outcomes and output from the grant project will be accomplished; (b) the extent to which the applicant's proposal narrative provides a clear method to track and measure their project's progress toward achieving expected outcomes and outputs as identified in Section I, Part B of the announcement; (c) the extent to which the applicant adequately documented and/or reported on its progress towards achieving the expected results under EPA and/or other Federal agency assistance agreements performed within the last three years; and if progress was not being made, whether and how the applicant satisfactorily explained why not (in evaluating applicants under subfactor (c), EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider other relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current and prior Federal agency grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). Applicants with no relevant information for this subfactor will receive a neutral score for it; and (d) the extent to which the proposal narrative addresses the applicant's participation in the National Pollution Prevention Results System as demonstrated by the applicant's agreement to use the System's P2 common measures and to submit data to the System. The System was developed by state P2 officials, the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR), and the regional Pollution P2Rx centers, with EPA financial assistance. The System is designed to collect P2 measures from a wide variety of sources nationally and is based in large part on the regional aggregation tool initiated in Region 10. For more details please visit NPPR's web site at http://www.p2.org/workgroup/Background.cfm.

    Participation in the System could be demonstrated by the applicant's agreeing to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) found on the NPPR's web site noted above. Or, applicants can show evidence of participation by using the System's P2 common measures and submitting data to the System or by noting their plans to do so (e.g., an applicant may send a signed letter with their proposal to their EPA regional contact, informing the region that the system will be used during the project period). The signed letter will not count toward the page limit requirement. (20 points – 5 points for each subfactor)

  7. Budget. (a) The extent to which the applicant presents a proposal narrative which explains the project(s) budget by category and (b) the extent to which the applicant demonstrates they will make effective and judicious use of Federal funds.

    Please note : The use of EPA financial assistance compensation for consultants is limited to the daily equivalent of the rate paid to Federal employees at the ES-IV level (see 40 CFR §§ 30.27 B (b) and 31.36 (j)). (10 points – 5 points for each subfactor)

  8. Partnerships. The extent to which the applicant presents a proposal narrative which effectively demonstrates the use of partnerships, wherever possible, to leverage other organizations' funding and expertise. Partners must provide letters of support from an official within the organization, specifying and confirming their specific contributions to the project. (5 points)

B. Review and Selection Process.

  1. Review Process. Proposals will be reviewed by the EPA Regional P2 review team based upon the threshold requirements noted in Section III, Part C and the evaluation criteria and scoring noted in Section V, Part A. Each of the seven EPA Regional P2 program offices participating in this competition will convene their own review panels to evaluate proposals submitted to their region based on the criteria listed above and use evaluation forms to document and record the results; the evaluation will result in a list of the highest ranked proposals preliminarily recommended for funding, per region, that will be referred to the Selection Official described in Section 2 below. Those applicants with the highest ranked proposals will be contacted by the region and instructed to submit a grant application package. Further instructions for completing the application process will be provided at that time.

  2. Selection Process. Eligible applicants with the highest ranked proposals preliminarily recommended for funding will be asked to submit a grant application package. A listing of these proposals will be sent to the Regional Division Director or Senior Executive Service (SES) equivalent in the region for review.

  3. Selection Official. Completed applications will be selected for funding by the Regional Division Director (or SES equivalent) in the regional P2 program office. In making the final funding selection decisions, the Regional Division Director (or SES equivalent) will consider the review panel evaluation rankings and may consider other factors such as program balance and geographic diversity.

VI. Award Administration Information.

A. Award Notices. EPA anticipates that awards will be announced by October 2006 and award notices will be issued by November 2006. Non-profit applicants that are recommended for funding will be subject to pre-award administrative capability reviews consistent with Sections 8.b, 8.c, and 9.d of EPA Policy Order: 5700.8.

B. Dispute Resolution Process. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may be requested by contacting the appropriate Regional P2 Coordinator listed in Section VII.

C. Administrative Requirements.

  1. Audits. Periodic audits should be made as part of the recipient's system of financial management and internal control to meet the terms and conditions of grants and other assistance agreements. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A‑133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," non-federal entities that receive financial assistance of $500,000 or more within the State's fiscal year shall have an audit made for that year. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A‑133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 1997. The Circular implements the Single Audit Act amendments of 1996. State agencies that receive less than $300,000 within the State's fiscal year shall have an audit made in accordance with Federal laws and regulations governing the programs in which they participate.

  2. Records . Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records to substantiate charges to each assistance agreement, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA assistance agreement accounts. All records must be maintained for three years from the date of submission of the annual financial status report. If questions still remain, such as those posed as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.

D. Reporting.

  1. Uniform reporting requirements for institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations. The recipient, along with the Regional Project Officer, will develop a process for jointly evaluating and reporting progress and accomplishments under the work plan. The work plans and reporting must be consistent with the requirements of 40 CFR part 30, subpart C. A description of the evaluation process and a reporting schedule must be included in the work plan (see Section 30.51 through 30.53). The reporting schedule requires the recipient to submit, at a minimum, annual progress reports during the life of the project to the Regional Project Officer. Recipients should provide discussion of accomplishments as measured against work plan commitments; a discussion of cumulative effectiveness of the work performed under all work plan components; a discussion of existing and potential problem areas; and suggestions for improvement, including where feasible, schedules for making improvements. If evaluation reveals the recipient has not made sufficient progress under the work plan, the Regional Project Officer and the recipient will negotiate a resolution. The recipient may request a review of the Regional Project Officer's decision under the dispute resolution process under 40 CFR 30.63.

  2. Uniform reporting requirement for state, local and tribal governments.

    The recipient, along with the Regional Project Officer, will develop a process for jointly evaluating and reporting progress and accomplishments under the work plan. The work plans and reporting must be consistent with the requirements of 40 CFR 31, subpart C. A description of the evaluation process and a reporting schedule must be included in the work plan (see Section 31.40 through 30.42). The reporting schedule requires the recipient to submit, at a minimum, annual progress reports, during the life of the project, to the Regional Project Officer. Recipients should provide discussion of accomplishments as measured against work plan commitments; a discussion of cumulative effectiveness of the work performed under all work plan components; a discussion of existing and potential problem areas; and suggestions for improvement, including where feasible, schedules for making improvements. If evaluation reveals the recipient has not made sufficient progress under the work plan, the Regional Project Officer and the recipient will negotiate a resolution that addresses the issues. If issues cannot be resolved through negotiation, the Regional Project Officer may take appropriate action (see Section 31.43 through 31.44.) The recipient may request a review of the Regional Project Officer's decision under the dispute resolution process under 40 CFR, Part 31, subpart F.

Grant recipients should send all semi-annual and final technical reports, including any final products generated from the SRA Grant to the grant project officer. Examples of final products include, but are not limited to: fact sheets, pamphlets, handbooks, model curricula, assessment and audit tools, videos, event brochures, etc.

The Grant Project Officer may share final technical reports, and/or final products with the appropriate regional P2Rx center and may send the materials to the Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC).

VII. Agency Contacts.

For further information, please contact the appropriate EPA Regional Program office.

State

EPA REGIONAL P2 PROGRAM OFFICE

NJ, NY, PR, VI Region 2
Alex Peck - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
290 Broadway, 25th Floor (SPMMB)
New York, NY 10007-1866
Phone: 212-637-3758
E-mail address: peck.alex@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://www.epa.gov/region02/rfp/2005/p2.htm
 
DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV Region 3
Maryann Helferty - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
1650 Arch Street (3EA40)
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
Phone: 215-814-3299
E-mail: helferty.maryann@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://www.epa.gov/region03/p2/grants.htm
 
AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN Region 4
Daphne Wilson - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
61 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-562--9098
E-mail: wilson.daphne@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://wrrc.p2pays.org/P2GrantInfo.asp
 
IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI Region 5
Phil Kaplan - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
77 West Jackson Boulevard (DW-8J)
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Phone: 312-353-4669
E-mail: kaplan.phil@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://www.epa.gov/region5/p2/grants.htm
 
AR, LA, NM, OK, TX Region 6
Javier Balli - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200 (6EN-XP)
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 214-665-7261
E-mail: balli.javier@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6en/xp/enxp4d.htm
 
IA, KS, MO, NE Region 7
Chilton (Chet) McLaughlin - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
901 N. 15 th Street (ARTD/SWPP)
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: 913- 551-7666
E-mail: mclaughlin.chilton@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://www.epa.gov/region07/economics/
r7_grant_opportunities.htm
 
AK, ID, OR, WA Region 10
Robert Drake - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
1200 Sixth Avenue (01-085)
Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: 206-553-4072
E-mail: drake.robert@epa.gov
Regional web site:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/OI.NSF/webpage/
2005+Region+10+Pollution+Prevention+Grant

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